This summer think twice about your beach-going destination, some beaches are contaminated with dangerous pathogens that could leave you feeling sick.
Some common pollutants of public beaches are human and animal waste, along with untreated sewage spills.
The Natural Resources Defense Council tested the water at 3,000 U.S beaches along the coasts and the Great Lakes. The organization also compiled a list of "five star beaches" that were pristine and free of harmful bacteria and virus'.
To see the study, and how your local beach stacks up, click here.
Safest: Dewey Beach, Deleware
This beach achieved a superstar rating from the NRDC study, which means less than five percent of the tested water had bacteria levels above state regulation. Dewey Beach in particular didn't have any bad samples.
"Tucked on a quiet, tiny spit of land, surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Rehoboth Bay, Dewey Beach becomes a vacation mecca in the summer when its population explodes from 300 to 30,000," wrote travel writer Daina Savage.
Safest: Gulf Shore Public Beach, Alabama
The Gulf Shore's website boasts "miles of sparkling turquoise Gulf waters and stunningly white sand that's so soft it squeaks under your feet." The water must be that blue, because zero percent of samples taken from this beach had high levels of bacteria.
Safest: Park Point, Minnesota
This beach has the bacteria levels right on their website, but you shouldn't worry because they made that five star list for having zero percent bad samples.
Safest: Hampton Beach State Park, New Hampshire
The park has miles upon mile of clean sandy beaches on the Atlantic ocean-front.
Safest: Newport Beach 38th street , California
While this area of Newport Beach did have one percent of samples that contained bacteria levels over state regulation, it is still considered to be a five star beach by the NRDC.
Ickiest: Hanamaulu Beach Park, Hawaii
Of the 16 samples taken at this beach, an eye-opening 75 percent of them were contaminated with bacteria levels well over state regulations.
Ickiest: Monument Beach, Florida
Seventy-two percent of the 18 samples taken Monument beach were contaminate, maybe it's not the best place for a swim.
Ickiest: Camp Perry Beach, Ohio
This beach nestled on the shore Lake Erie isn't the safest place for a dip. Out of the 23 samples, 70 percent of them didn't look so good.
Ickiest: Poche County Beach, California
Poche Beach is a popular surfing spot, but the surfers should think twice before suiting up. Out of an impressive 91 samples, 67 percent of them were contaminated.
Ickiest: Wisconsin Point Beach II, Wisconsin
Thirty-six samples were taken at this Wisconsin beach, and 64 percent of them had more bacteria than the state allows.
